The following applications of common assignee contain common disclosure:
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/349,477 entitled xe2x80x9cTransmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Packet-Centric Wireless Point to Multi-Point (PtMP) Transmission System Architecture,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999,
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/349,480 entitled xe2x80x9cQuality of Service (QoS)xe2x80x94Aware Wireless Point to Multi-Point (PtMP) Transmission System Architecture,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/350,126 entitled xe2x80x9cMethod for Providing Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation Based on IP-Flow Characteristics in a Wireless Point to Multi-Point (PtMP) Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/350,118 entitled xe2x80x9cMethod for Providing for Quality of Service (QoS)xe2x80x94Based Handling of IP-Flows in a Wireless Point to Multi-Point Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999,
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/347,356 entitled xe2x80x9cIP-Flow Identification in a Wireless Point to Multi-Point Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/350,150 entitled xe2x80x9cIP-Flow Characterization in a Wireless Point to Multi-Point (PtMP) Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/349,476 entitled xe2x80x9cIP-Flow Prioritization in a Wireless Point to Multi-Point (PtMP) Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/350,170 entitled xe2x80x9cMethod of Operation for Providing for Service Level Agreement (SLA) Based Prioritization in a Wireless Point to Multi-Point (PtMP) Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/349,481 entitled xe2x80x9cMethod for Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) Rate Control With Link-Layer Acknowledgments in a Wireless Point to Multi-Point (PtMP) Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/350,159 entitled xe2x80x9cTransmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)xe2x80x94Centric QoS Aware Media Access Control (MAC) Layer in a Wireless Point to Multi-Point (PtMP) Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/347,857 entitled xe2x80x9cUse of Priority-Based Scheduling for the Optimization of Latency and Jitter Sensitive IP Flows in a Wireless Point to Multi-Point Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/349,475 entitled xe2x80x9cTime Division Multiple Access/Time Division Duplex (TDMA/TDD) Access Method for a Wireless Point to Multi-Point Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application entitled Ser. No. 09/349,483 xe2x80x9cReservation Based Prioritization Method for Wireless Transmission of Latency and Jitter Sensitive IP-Flows in a Wireless Point to Multi-Point Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/349,479 entitled xe2x80x9cTranslation of Internet-Prioritized Internet Protocol (IP)xe2x80x94Flows into Wireless System Resource Allocations in a Wireless Point to Multi-Point (PtMP) Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application entitled Ser. No. 09/350,162 xe2x80x9cMethod of Operation for the Integration of Differentiated services (Diff-serv) Marked IP-Flows into a Quality of Service (QoS) Priorities in a Wireless Point to Multi-Point (PtMP) Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/349,975 entitled xe2x80x9cMethod for the Recognition and Operation of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) over a Wireless Point to Multi-Point (PtMP) Transmission System,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/350,173 entitled xe2x80x9cTime Division Multiple Access/Time Division Duplex (TDMA/TDD) Transmission Media Access Control (MAC) Air Frame,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/349,482 entitled xe2x80x9cApplicationxe2x80x94Aware, Quality of Service (QoS) Sensitive, Media Access Control (MAC) Layer,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/349,478 entitled xe2x80x9cTransmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Packet-Centric Wireless Point to Point (PtP) Transmission System Architecture,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/349,474 entitled xe2x80x9cTransmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Packet-Centric Cable Point to Multi-Point (PtMP) Transmission System Architecture,xe2x80x9d filed Jul. 9, 1999.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications and, more particularly, to a system and method for implementing a QoS aware wireless point-to-multi-point transmission system.
2. Related Art
Telecommunication networks such as voice, data and video networks have conventionally been customized for the type of traffic each is to transport. For example, voice traffic is very latency sensitive but quality is less important, so voice networks are designed to transport voice traffic with limited latency. Traditional data traffic, such as, e.g., a spreadsheet, on the other hand is not latency sensitive, but error-free delivery is required. Conventional telecommunications networks use circuit switching to achieve acceptable end user quality of service (QoS). With the advent of new packet switching high bandwidth data networks, different types of traffic can be transported over a data network. Specifically, convergence of separate voice, data and video networks into a single broadband telecommunications network is enabled. To ensure end user satisfaction, a system is desired that provides QoS for various types of traffic to be transported.
Wireless networks present particular challenges over their wireline counterparts in delivering QoS. For example, wireless networks traditionally exhibit high bit error rates (BER) due to a number of reasons. Conventional wireless networks also implement circuit switched connections to provide reliable communications channels. However the use of circuit switched connections allocates bandwidth between communicating nodes whether or not traffic is constantly being transferred between the nodes. Therefore, circuit switched connections use communications bandwidth rather inefficiently.
Packet switching makes more efficient use of available bandwidth than does traditional circuit switching. Packet switching breaks up traffic into so-called xe2x80x9cpacketsxe2x80x9d which can then be transported from a source node to a destination for reassembly. Thus a particular portion of bandwidth can be shared by many sources and destinations yielding more efficient use of bandwidth.
A wireless broadband access telecommunications system is desired which can provide a QoS capability that is comparable to that delivered by wireline broadband access devices. Conventionally, one of the barriers to the deployment of wireless broadband access systems has been the absence of acceptable QoS characteristics, while at the same time delivering bandwidth sufficient to qualify as broadband. Delivery of raw bandwidth over wireless media without acceptable QoS would not benefit end users. Likewise, the delivery of a high level of QoS at the cost of sufficient bandwidth would also not benefit endusers.
Conventional efforts to provide wireless broadband access systems have not granted sufficient priority to QoS as a guiding principle in architecting the wireless systems, resulting in sub-optimal designs. With the rapid emergence of the Internet, the packet switching paradigm, and transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) as a universal data protocol, it has become clear that a new wireless system design has become necessary.
What is needed then is an IP-centric wireless broadband access system with true QoS capabilities.
The present invention is directed to an IP flow classification system used in a wireless telecommunications system. More specifically, the IP flow classification system groups IP flows in a packet-centric wireless point to multi-point telecommunications system.
The classification system includes: a wireless base station coupled to a first data network; one or more host workstations coupled to the first data network; one or more subscriber customer premise equipment (CPE) stations in wireless communication with the wireless base station over a shared bandwidth using a packet-centric protocol; and one or more subscriber workstations coupled to each of the subscriber CPE stations over a second network; a resource allocation device optimizes end-user quality of service (QoS) and allocates shared bandwidth among the subscriber CPE stations; an analyzing and scheduling device analyzes and schedules internet protocol (IP) flow over the shared wireless bandwidth. The analyzing device includes the above IP flow classifier that classifies the IP flow.
In one embodiment, the classifier includes a means for associating a packet of an existing IP flow with the IP flow. The classifier can include a QoS grouping device that groups a packet of a new IP flow into a QoS class grouping. The QoS grouping device can include a determining device that determines and takes into account QoS class groupings for the IP flow. The QoS grouping device can include an optional differentiated services (Diff Serv) device that takes into account an optional Diff Servs field priority marking for the IP flow. The QoS grouping device can also include an optional type of service (TOS) device that takes into account any optional type of service (TOS) field priority marking for said IP flow.
The cross-referenced applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.